History Lesson

When State Representative John Perzel engineered the takeover of the School District of Philadelphia, the School Board became the School Reform Commission (SRC). Everybody hoped that "reform" would bring "improvement" in our children's education. When Perzel took over the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA), he promised up to $45 million a year to the School District. After all those years with increasing the number of the PPA's political patronage jobs, the PPA just gave the School District a measly $4 million.

Cannon fire had South Philadelphia booming over the weekend during celebrations at Fort Mifflin commemorating the 214th anniversary of the siege of 1777, when British artillery hammered the fort for 40 days. Scores of Revolutionary re-enactors gave guided tours, played 18th-century music, and displayed cooking and medical techniques. They also staged mock drills and skirmishes, although rain canceled yesterday afternoon's skirmish.

Here's a look at how bridal registries have changed through the years, according to Doris Nixon, director of educational services for the National Bridal Service. 1901 - First bridal registry reportedly is started by H.C. Winkle of China Hall Co. of Rochester, Minn., after he ran into difficulty keeping track of brides' purchases or wants. Popular gift items include kerosene lamps, commode sets, hand-painted china and berry sets, pitchers with matching glasses and china. 1930s - More merchants implement bridal registries to encourage sales during the Great Depression.

"Moyers: The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis" (10 p.m. on Channel 12) serves as a reminder of many things. It reminds us of the Iran- Contra scandal. It reminds us of Watergate. It reminds us of a whole sorry legacy of questionable actions carried out without constitutional sanction. It reminds us, better than anything else broadcast during this bicentennial year, why we have a constitution in the first place. Perhaps just as important, it reminds us that Bill Moyers doesn't do commercial television any more.

The radical white supremacist group that is scheduled to rally Sept. 25 at Valley Forge National Historical Park to protest the "corrupt dictatorship" of President Bush needs to learn its American history. Jeff Schoep, commander of the National Socialist Movement, insists that the Bush administration's failure to close "America's southern border to illegal non-white immigrants and potential terrorists" undermines the "separatist views of George Washington and the ordinary soldier" at the winter encampment of Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778.

They are convinced they are college football's answer to Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Meet the Florida State Seminoles, ghostbusters. "Once we snap the ball, there is no history," FSU's standout linebacker, Derrick Brooks, said of tomorrow's long-awaited showdown (Channel 3, 1:30 p.m.) between the top-ranked 'Noles and No. 2 Notre Dame on the hallowed soil of Notre Dame Stadium. "You are out there to win. I don't think there's no mystique in the stadium, all that other superstition.

After Philadelphia Theatre Company's launching of Terrence McNally's Master Class, the world premiere of his new play, Some Men, has been much anticipated. Its 15 scenes range from 1925 to the present day, presenting glimpses of gay relationships as they have evolved toward same-sex marriage. I am, frankly, mystified: What is this play's purpose? Who is its intended audience? On the one hand, it seems to be a stroll down memory lane for homosexual men of a certain pre-Stonewall age. On the other hand, it seems to be a history lesson, a kind of after-school special for those heterosexuals who know about gay men only by the stereotypes that feed prejudice and homophobia and assume they are promiscuous, body-obsessed show queens who adore Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.

As soon as Joe Ferguson arrived at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium that bright afternoon on April 8, 1974, he knew it was going to be a special night. His Los Angeles Dodgers were visiting Hank Aaron and the Atlanta Braves - the same team that just a season before had trouble drawing more than 11,000 fans a game. But on this night, 53,775 of them packed into the stadium to witness history. The best seat in the house may have belonged to Ferguson. He was the starting catcher for the Dodgers, sitting squarely behind home plate as Aaron sent his 715th career home run out of the park to break Babe Ruth's all-time record.

CHICAGO - Fifty years ago this week, Capitol Records released an album destined to conquer the hearts and minds of comedy nerds around this round, round world. It carried the grandiose title "Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Vol. 1: The Early Years. " The label's promotional materials sold this "original musical revue for records" as "not just another comedy record, but a whole show . . . the most extravagant album ever produced. " Sound a mite overboard? Funny you should put it that way: "A little overboard" is precisely how Ben Franklin describes the Declaration of Independence on Freberg's album, in the lead-in to the song "A Man Can't Be Too Careful What He Signs These Days.

There's going to be a lot of people griping that Ron Maxwell's Civil War epic, "Gods and Generals," feels longer than the war itself, but it's not the film's three-hour, 49-minute running time (with intermission) that makes it such an insufferable experience. It's the way Maxwell has staged the thing. This is a movie that operates at two speeds: Somebody is either giving a fake-sounding, melodramatic speech or fighting in a fake-looking, melodramatic battle. Either way, you're watching a dressed-up simulation that only a Civil War re-enactor or a historian with a tin ear could love.

Alberto Gonzalez squared to bunt in the 11th inning Sunday, aiming to drive in the go-ahead run for Texas on a squeeze play. The ball hit his bat then glanced off his right leg before bouncing toward the pitcher. But the Rangers caught a huge break - instead of being called a foul ball, Gonzalez's bunt went for an RBI infield single to give Texas a 3-2 victory over Detroit. Gonzalez admitted after the game the ball hit him around the knee - and a replay confirmed that.

If you're not yet on the Tim Tebow bandwagon, listen to the words of Denver running back Willis McGahee. Midway through the second half of Sunday's 16-13 overtime win against San Diego, McGahee approached Tebow in the huddle and said: "Me and you gotta win this game. " McGahee ripped off 117 yards on 23 carries and his 24-yard run in OT set up the winning field goal. McGahee told SI.com that Tebow's presence at quarterback has infected the entire team in a positive way. "All we know is, if it's close at the end, we're gonna win. "   History lesson Oakland drafted both super-kicker Sebastian Janikowski and NFL punting leader Shane Lechler in 2000.

The Chicago Bears (6-3) have won four straight and have five straight very winnable games coming up before facing Green Bay. They're rolling back to the playoffs while their opponents of a week ago, your Eagles, are done. The Bears have done it with defense and linebacker Brian Urlacher has an interesting lesson for the Eagles. "One of the reasons we've turned it around is our coaches wouldn't put up with mistakes," Urlacher told SI.com. "They held us accountable and we cleaned them up. "   Fascinating stats Since Oct. 23 the much-maligned Tim Tebow has produced three victories for the Denver Broncos.

In need of some college realignment perspective - a little realignment alignment - the obvious local go-to spot is Hawk Hill, at the desk of Don DiJulia, St. Joseph's athletic director for 28 of the last 35 years, and once commissioner of a conference that no longer exists. DiJulia has seen the landscape change "a lot of times, in a lot of years. This is another cycle, just another evolution of change. " Answering his phone, DiJulia immediately launched into a history lesson: "When this happened in '76 and '78 when Pitt and West Virginia and Villanova pulled out of the ECAC basketball structure and pulled away from the old Eddie Einhorn television contract and formed the Eastern Eight and signed the first big [Eastern conference]

The Eagles' loss Sunday was the ninth time in 13 seasons under Andy Reid that they have dropped the home opener, including the last three straight and four of the last five. Reid's record against the Giants in home openers is 1-3, including a win in 2008, and losses in 2000, 2006 and Sunday.   History lesson Only two quarterbacks in Detroit Lions history have twice rallied the team from 20 points down to win: Bobby Layne - the last quarterback to lead the Lions to a championship - and Matthew Stafford this month.

The reaction to umpire Jerry Meals' call at home on Tuesday night in Atlanta was predictable - a scream that baseball needs replay. You probably didn't see the play live because Meals' call of safe on Braves runner Julio Lugo ended a 19-inning marathon just after bars close in most places and honest citizens are long asleep. But you sure saw it the next day. The call - unanimously judged incorrect by everyone who saw the replay - was shown all day Wednesday, igniting a national uproar.

ON THE FOURTH of July we celebrate our independence from one state (Great Britain), followed by commitment to other states (13 Colonies). Our motto was, and is, E pluribus unum , "Out of many, one. " Recent interpretation of the motto, which was originally thought to apply to the 13 Colonies' joining together to create a single nation, says the mingling of many peoples - different in race, religion, culture, national origin, language - created a...

CHICAGO - Fifty years ago this week, Capitol Records released an album destined to conquer the hearts and minds of comedy nerds around this round, round world. It carried the grandiose title "Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Vol. 1: The Early Years. " The label's promotional materials sold this "original musical revue for records" as "not just another comedy record, but a whole show . . . the most extravagant album ever produced. " Sound a mite overboard? Funny you should put it that way: "A little overboard" is precisely how Ben Franklin describes the Declaration of Independence on Freberg's album, in the lead-in to the song "A Man Can't Be Too Careful What He Signs These Days.

The Chicago Cubs added another arm to their tired bullpen, recalling righthander Justin Berg from triple-A Iowa. The Cubs split a doubleheader against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday and used three relievers in Friday's 12-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Berg went 0-1 with a 5.18 ERA in 41 games with the Cubs last season. He was available Saturday against the Dodgers but did not appear. Righthander Jeff Stevens was sent down to Iowa. History lesson.

ON JAN. 17, the DN pulled a "bait and switch" with the cover story tease "From Philly to Virgin Islands: For U.S. District Justices, Temporary Gig a Real Beach. " For good measure, there was a woman in a bikini on the cover. Are things that desperate? Granted, the Eagles season is over. And Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a slow news day. But to try to goose sales with the tease of a scandal where there isn't one does a disservice to the judiciary, your readers and the paper's reputation.